New figures show that many drivers are ducking eye tests

The poll, by road safety charity Brake, found that as many as 26pc of drivers had not had an eye test in the last two years, 9pc had not visited an optician for five years or more, while 3pc had not had eye checks for more than a decade

The charity’s findings were no surprise to Jan Knight, an associate specialist ophthalmic surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. She said: “I see several patients at the clinic every day, who still drive, but whose eyesight, when we test them, is below the legal standard for driving. We have to advise them of the findings, and that they should stop driving, but we cannot do anything about it.

“We also see patients with severe eye problems, who are in denial. By the time they come to us, it can be too late. You should get an eye test every two years, but if there’s a history of eye disease in your family, or you have diabetes, then it should be every year.”

“If your vision isn’t up to scratch you are posing an enormous risk on roads, as being able to see properly is fundamental to being a good driver. Your eyesight can deteriorate rapidly without you noticing, and at the wheel that can be lethal.”